Photography: William Clark Green and Jon Young at The Blue Light

William Clark Green and Josh Serrato at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

by: Thomas D. MooneyEditor-in-Chief

Last Thursday, William Clark Green and Jon Young performed at The Blue Light. The night was filled with a handful of cameos from Cleto Cordero of Flatland Cavalry, Bri Bagwell, and the ever presence of guitarist Josh Serrato. Last week, we wrote about the intimate show. Now, we’re telling the story of the night through photograph. Read an excerpt about the show below. Read about the show in full here.

From outside, you can hear William Clark Green soundchecking with shortened versions of “Next Big Thing.” A pair of black sunglasses sit atop his head. They’re prepping at the bar racing back and forth between the back coolers and the bartop. A few boxes of various t-shirts and a few copies of Ringling Road and Misunderstood are stacked side stage.

The doors open and slowly the line begins diffusing into the wide, open Blue Light main room. Tables towards the far side begin getting claimed. Lone Star bottles and whiskey Cokes act as their flags of declaration. Folks who’ve never been to the storied venue scope the place out. They eye the massive head-dressed Indian painted on the wall as they make their way towards the bar for a drink. They size up the room looking for the best spot to stand while they wait.

“I think I’ll wait another song before going on stage,” says Stephenville singer-songwriter Jon Young. “I mean, I don’t want to start playing right after a Ryan Adams song.”

“Gimme Something Good” is blaring out the house speakers. Young is wearing a Grateful Dead shirt–one that’ll serve as an ice breaker for multiple conversations throughout the night. The tall Texan is a mountain of a man with a soaring voice that matches. His hands dwarf most others; they’re like bear paws.

“Gimme Something Good” fades out and Jason Isbell’s “24 Frames” begins. There goes Young’s gamble. He lets out a laugh with an accompanying “Well damnit.”

By the time Isbell goes into the third chorus, Young is on stage and throwing his guitar strap over his head. A few groups of onlookers begin inching towards the stage as he begins strumming his guitar. Young’s no stranger to the BL stage and certainly has a growing fanbase that’d happily claim Young as their own.

He’s been prepping and recording a debut album, Ashes of Dreams of Fire, for the better part of the year. It’s finally coming down the final stages with Young contemplating an Autumn release date. It’s sure to be worth the long wait.

Green and guitarist Josh Serrato make their way on stage. The crowd is a giant sweltering pit. Ass to elbows. Sweat collects on the brows of everyone. No one cares enough to leave the spot they’ve carved out for themselves. The fans overhead are rotating as fast as crop-dusting plane propellers. They move the hot air around in an attempt to cool the crowd. Luckily, most everyone is wearing today’s proper application of deodorant and antiperspirants.

A shriek of hollers and a round of clapping are let out by the mob as Green greets the crowd for the first time. “What do you want to hear?” he asks the crowd. “We’re going to play what you guys want so let us know. We’ll go ahead and start it off with this though.” They go into “Rose Queen” and they’re off to the races.

The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

Jon Young at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

Jon Young at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

Jon Young at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

Jon Young at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

Jon Young at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

Jon Young at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

Jon Young at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

Jon Young at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

Jon Young at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

Jon Young at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

Jon Young at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

William Clark Green at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

William Clark Green at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

William Clark Green at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

William Clark Green at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

William Clark Green at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

William Clark Green at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

William Clark Green and Josh Serrato at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

William Clark Green and Josh Serrato at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

William Clark Green at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

William Clark Green at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

William Clark Green at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

William Clark Green and Josh Serrato at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

William Clark Green at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

William Clark Green and Josh Serrato at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

William Clark Green and Josh Serrato at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

William Clark Green at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

William Clark Green at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.

William Clark Green and Josh Serrato at The Blue Light. Photograph by Susan Marinello/New Slang.